This episode was originally released on March 16, 2020   Craig, Ryan, and Megan (no Kyle today) talk about book 3 of The Lord of the Rings, being the first half of The Two Towers.They take on the entrelacement writing technique Tolkien employs, Aragorn's character arc (yep, he has one!), and the nature of the palantiri. Craig is of course back with his recap poem, but Megan decides to one up him by singing on this episode. Trigger warning.   Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/legendarium Check out the archives at https://www.thelegendarium.com/ Join the Discord community: https://discord.com/invite/FnCSsxx Twitter: https://twitter.com/LegendariumPod MUSIC: "Adventure Time" and "The Seven Seas" courtesy of https://www.philter.no/

Originally released May 25, 2020. Veronica Roth, bestselling author of the Divergent series and the brand-new, adult-oriented fantasy Chosen Ones, joins Craig and Ryan to discuss her pick for the Author's Shelf podcast series. Veronica had the guys read Dark Lord of Derkholm, a 1998 fantasy parody by Diana Wynne Jones. The trio has a good time picking apart a few of the key characters and themes of the book, and Veronica enlightens the group on the personal connection between Jones and Tolkien. Visit Veronica's website and check out Chosen Ones Support the show on Patreon Join the conversation on Reddit Music: "Adventure Time" and "The Seven Seas" courtesy of https://www.philter.no/

Originally released April 26, 2020 Craig is joined by author Maram Taibah to discuss the assertion, "Great art has an age floor but no age ceiling." They get into contextual issues, content issues, and what place YA fiction has to play in this discussion. They also talk about Maram's book, Weathernose, and Craig gets an education on "children's steampunk." Check out Maram's website and Instagram Buy Weathernose Support the show on Patreon Join the conversation on Reddit Music: "The Seven Seas" courtesy of https://www.philter.no/

This episode was originally released on January 27, 2019   Craig and Ryan welcome a new panelist, Brandon Sanderson (maybe you've heard of him?). The three of them discuss The Truth, the 25th book in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series. Spoiler alert, technically, because we range all over the story, as usual. But as we mention during the show, this isn't the type of book with which you should be overly concerned about spoilers; it's delightful and hilarious regardless of what you know about it. Enjoy the episode!   Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/legendarium Check out the archives at https://www.thelegendarium.com/ Join the Discord community: https://discord.com/invite/FnCSsxx Twitter: https://twitter.com/LegendariumPod MUSIC: "Adventure Time" and "The Seven Seas" courtesy of https://www.philter.no/

What in the h-e-double-hockey-sticks is this book, anyway? Craig brings Drew back for one final discussion on Matthew Stover's Acts of Caine series. They wrap up with book 4, Caine's Law, which is a book about ... something. The guys will try to figure that out.   Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/legendarium Check out the archives at https://www.thelegendarium.com/ Join the Discord community: https://discord.com/invite/FnCSsxx Twitter: https://twitter.com/LegendariumPod

This episode was originally released on March 1, 2020 Craig, Ryan, Megan, and Kyle discuss the second book in The Lord of the Rings--or to put it another way, the second half of The Fellowship of the Ring. They get into lots of listener questions, like whether the Rivendell chapters are too long, whether balrogs should have wings, whether the fellowship sufficiently mourns Gandalf, and much, much more. Enjoy!   Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/legendarium Check out the archives at https://www.thelegendarium.com/ Join the Discord community: https://discord.com/invite/FnCSsxx Twitter: https://twitter.com/LegendariumPod MUSIC: "Adventure Time" and "The Seven Seas" courtesy of https://www.philter.no/

This episode was originally released October 27, 2019.   The Ladies of the Legendarium are back! And this time, Stephanie, Megan, and Kate are joined by Sara Hanks to discuss Michael Ende's classic book, The Neverending Story. There's laughing and crying, and a whole lot of love -- old and new -- for this particular book.   Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/legendarium Check out the archives at https://www.thelegendarium.com/ Join the Discord community: https://discord.com/invite/FnCSsxx Twitter: https://twitter.com/LegendariumPod MUSIC: "Adventure Time" and "The Seven Seas" courtesy of https://www.philter.no/

This episode was originally released October  17, 2019. Weeks Week begins on Monday with the release of The Burning White, but we thought we'd get a jump on it by airing a few minutes of Brent Weeks spinning The Wheel of Tangents. Brent answers eight questions scientifically designed in a lab to help us get to know one of our favorite authors a little bit better. (Narrator: "There was, in fact, no lab.") Enjoy! Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/legendarium Check out the archives at https://www.thelegendarium.com/ Join the Discord community: https://discord.com/invite/FnCSsxx Twitter: https://twitter.com/LegendariumPod MUSIC: "Adventure Time" and "The Seven Seas" courtesy of https://www.philter.no/

This episode was originally released February 9, 2020. The other episodes in this series are #268, #270, #274, #277, and #281.   The time has come! Six years ago Craig and Ryan kicked off the Legendarium podcast with a read-through of the Lord of the Rings. Now they're back, and they've got Kyle and Megan in tow as well. In this episode they discuss a bit about the hobbits, the pacing, the poetry and the reasons for Gandalf's 17-year absence. If you're hoping to get your fix of Professor Craig, stick around, because that mostly happens toward the end. A note: If you're looking for an in-depth discussion of the minutiae of this book, look elsewhere! But you can enjoy a discussion amongst friends loosely based around the first book of The Lord of the Rings.   Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/legendarium Check out the archives at https://www.thelegendarium.com/ Join the Discord community: https://discord.com/invite/FnCSsxx Twitter: https://twitter.com/LegendariumPod MUSIC: "Adventure Time" and "The Seven Seas" courtesy of https://www.philter.no/

This episode was originally released October 10, 2015. We're joined again by Dr. Matt Woolley, who helps Craig, Ryan, and Kenn work through the benefits, pitfalls, and psychology of scary stories and people who love (or hate) them. (And no, you're not hallucinating, we swapped out our normal theme music; it was way too peppy for this episode.) Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/legendarium Check out the archives at https://www.thelegendarium.com/ Join the Discord community: https://discord.com/invite/FnCSsxx Twitter: https://twitter.com/LegendariumPod MUSIC: "Adventure Time" and "The Seven Seas" courtesy of https://www.philter.no/

This episode was originally released May 13, 2018.   In 1944, Professor Tolkien published a short story about a strange little man who was obsessed with a single piece of art that consumed his entire life. Sound familiar? It should. And if it doesn't, then listen on, and we'll lift the extraordinarily thin veil from this little wishful allegory. Ryan's taking a sick day for this one, so Craig, Todd, and Megan hash this one out without him.   Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/legendarium Check out the archives at https://www.thelegendarium.com/ Join the Discord community: https://discord.com/invite/FnCSsxx Twitter: https://twitter.com/LegendariumPod MUSIC: "Adventure Time" and "The Seven Seas" courtesy of https://www.philter.no/

Craig and Todd chat for a few minutes about the new installment of Denis Villeneuve's Dune adaptation. Before that, Craig makes an announcement about the show taking a short break.   Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/legendarium Check out the archives at https://www.thelegendarium.com/ Join the Discord community: https://discord.com/invite/FnCSsxx Twitter: https://twitter.com/LegendariumPod

Returning guest Daniel Ford drops by to discuss a favorite of his, Parke Godwin's Firelord. This 1980 retelling of the King Arthur myth is one of the best you'll come across, and it made for some great discussion.   Check out Daniel's stuff here: https://www.danielmford.com/books   Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/legendarium Check out the archives at https://www.thelegendarium.com/ Join the Discord community: https://discord.com/invite/FnCSsxx Twitter: https://twitter.com/LegendariumPod

Megan has brought the Blue Team back together to a discussion of a recent favorite: Andy Weir's Project Hail Mary. Will she have better success in bringing them a good book than Todd did when he made her read John Carter of Mars? (Hint: How could she not?)   Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/legendarium Check out the archives at https://www.thelegendarium.com/ Join the Discord community: https://discord.com/invite/FnCSsxx Twitter: https://twitter.com/LegendariumPod

Old friend of the podcast Kaela Rivera stops by for an Author's Shelf episode about I Am the Messenger, by Markus Zusak. This magical-realism novel was an absolute delight, and you should give it a read if you haven't yet. And as a bonus, it made for a fun 45 minutes of conversation!   Check out Kaela's stuff here: https://www.kaelarivera.com/   Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/legendarium Check out the archives at https://www.thelegendarium.com/ Join the Discord community: https://discord.com/invite/FnCSsxx Twitter: https://twitter.com/LegendariumPod

Moses Ose Utomi is Craig's guest today on the Author's Shelf series, and he's selected Fonda Lee's Jade City to discuss. As always, the first question is, "Why did you choose this book?" And with that, Moses and Craig are off to the races for a fun discussion.   Check out Moses's stuff here: https://www.mosesoseutomi.com/   Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/legendarium Check out the archives at https://www.thelegendarium.com/ Join the Discord community: https://discord.com/invite/FnCSsxx Twitter: https://twitter.com/LegendariumPod

Craig and Kenn are joined by Eradandis (of Discord fame) to discuss A Game of Thrones, the first book in #georgerrmartin 's A Song of Ice and Fire series. Are they going to give it the lengthy treatment it deserves? Absolutely not. At least not today. But they are going to talk about its merits--and demerits--as they see them, for the next hour.   Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/legendarium Check out the archives at https://www.thelegendarium.com/ Join the Discord community: https://discord.com/invite/FnCSsxx Twitter: https://twitter.com/LegendariumPod

After the ... experience that is Blade of Tyshalle, Craig and Drew are back for more, starting in on part 1 of Caine Black Knife, the third book in Matthew Stover's Acts of Caine series. Is this book really as "fun" as Craig was promised?   Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/legendarium Check out the archives at https://www.thelegendarium.com/ Join the Discord community: https://discord.com/invite/FnCSsxx Twitter: https://twitter.com/LegendariumPod

Author and journalist Hank Phillippi Ryan joins Craig for a very spoiler-y discussion. Luckily, they don't spoil anything for you, but Hank is here to talk about why she sometimes reads the last page of a book first. What exactly counts as a spoiler? When and why should we be careful about them? And when might we seek them out?   Check out Hank's latest book, One Last Word   Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/legendarium Check out the archives at https://www.thelegendarium.com/ Join the Discord community: https://discord.com/invite/FnCSsxx Twitter: https://twitter.com/LegendariumPod

What was once condescendingly sneered at only a few years ago has become more and more commonplace: self publishing. With the rise of new technologies and easier printing, now authors can bypass the middleman (the publisher) and get their work out on their own. But how does it actually work? Are publishers antiquated, and this is the wave of the future? And if he could, would Craig's guest, Philip Chase, do it again?   Grab The Way of Edan here: https://a.co/d/heM6yFa   Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/legendarium Check out the archives at https://www.thelegendarium.com/ Join the Discord community: https://discord.com/invite/FnCSsxx Twitter: https://twitter.com/LegendariumPod